| UK. David Suchet to unveil waterway plans at London Boat Show |
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| Wednesday, 21 December 2005 | |
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Inland Waterways news: Boating enthusiast and well-known actor, David Suchet, unveils the first tranche of waterway plans that define the future of the Environment Agency's rivers, at the London Boat Show on Friday, January 6. Waterway Plans for the rivers Thames, Medway and Great Ouse are the first three of eight plans being launched in 2006. Julia Simpson, head of Recreation and Navigation, said: "2006 is the year we launch all eight of our waterway plans which provide blueprints for the future of our rivers. Thanks to extra government funding over the next three years we are investing more money in our rivers than ever before - work is already underway to modernise our waterways by improving the maintenance of our river infrastructure and providing better facilities." The River Thames Waterway Plan, which shows how the non-tidal river could look in 20 years, has involved two years of research and development and the input of over 100 organisations along the 217km river. Developed by the Environment Agency on behalf of the River Thames Alliance, the Plan is a breakthrough in river management - it incorporates the views and priorities of all those who work along the river, from local authorities and river businesses to resident groups and public sector bodies. The first of its kind developed for the Thames, it contains around 150 policies and actions and over 1,000 aspirations that define how the river is developed and cared for in the future. These range from providing more boating facilities such as moorings, pump outs and refuse services, to protecting river habitats and regenerating old industrial sites. Eileen McKeever, Thames Waterway manager, said: "This Plan is a breakthrough in that we now have a set of agreed priorities for development along the river that will guide the plans and policies of local authorities and other bodies. Up until now we have tended to operate in isolation of each other. But now, for example, we can jointly guide development towards getting the right facilities on the river in the places they are needed the most." Working in partnership is at the heart of the Thames Plan which will be delivered through the River Thames Alliance - a 68-strong public/private sector group, chaired by David Suchet. The Great Ouse Waterway Plan incorporates comments from organisations all along the river including environmental groups, river user groups and local authorities, and contains around 60 policies and actions to maintain, develop and improve the river by 2011. Further developments to the Fens Waterway Link are among the improvements listed. The scheme, which will open up 240kms of waterways and link the region with the rest of the country's network, is the most ambitious waterway project this country has seen for two centuries. The 31km freshwater River Medway benefits from a Plan with over 45 improvements to be completed before 2010. These range from more temporary moorings and automating the lock gates at Allington to developing and creating habitats and increasing awareness of river wildlife. Next in the pipeline are plans for the rivers Wye, Nene, Ancholme, Glen/Welland and Stour. Each one is nearing the final stages of development and you can get a preview of them all on January 6. The waterway plans have been developed as part of the navigation strategy, Your Rivers for Life, launched in January 2004, which sets out how the Environment Agency will restore, conserve and develop its rivers in line with the needs of modern society over the next 20 years. |
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| Last Updated ( Wednesday, 21 December 2005 ) |
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